Happy Saturday! The story behind floral designer, Chasidy Billups, and my friendship is a multi-layered one. It all started with my nonprofit, Mia's Closet years ago and after all this time, I'm finally getting settled here in my new home here in New York just a short ride from Chas.

Before

When I moved into my new place in Brooklyn, I knew that if nothing else, I needed my room to be an oasis here in the city. To my surprise, I pretty much knocked out the room design in a flash my second weekend here. The catch, was that I just didn't know what to do with the wall/space directly in front of me. It's the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning, so I knew it needed something. I just couldn't figure out what.

That's where Chas came in. Say what you want about social media. It has come to the rescue for me time and time again! Around the time of scratching my head over the space, Chas posted a step by step instastory showing highlighting a floral arrange display she was putting together and it was just so lovely. I was like, "That's it! All of it! That's what I need!" haha And a week later we were at my place scoping out my space and hopping on the Q train to shop vases and get flowers.

To say the least, I'm still totally smitten with the final result, and I couldn't believe how long everything lasted. Below you'll find a a vlog of the day and an interview where she shares more about herself, her design style, and what she's learned along the way. As always, thanks so much for stopping by. Enjoy!

Xoxo, Chels

Coffey Break Chat: Chasidy Billups

Chas, tell us a little bit about yourself!

I'm a New York based creative. I say creative because I don't want to limit myself in terms of a "title." Although I have a background in PR, I am currently pursuing styling and creative direction full-time. Having the freedom to create in my own space, on my own time means a lot to me right now. It's allowed me to explore areas of myself I had ignored for a long time. I recently styled a Nike x VSCO project that I'm super excited about it! I've got some big plans for the summer, a lot of it inspired by women and florals of course.

What got you into floral design?

For me, I felt I had lost a bit of femininity living in New York. That may sound a bit odd, but I found myself a little hardened by the city. New York is a tough place, so I had to revive the softer parts of myself in order to reconnect with myself. When I go to a floral shop and spend time gazing at the colors and shape of flowers and go home and arrange them, etc. it makes me feel womanly. Now I dream of the day when I can have my own garden and actually grow flowers myself.

Where should people start if they want to spruce up their space and they just don't know what to do first?

If you want to add a bit of life to your space start with green plants. My favorite is the Monstera. It's just big and beautiful, it calls attention to itself in any space its in.

What are your greatest inspirations when it comes to design?

One of my greatest inspirations when it comes to design is one of my best friends Adrienne Raquel. Where as I'm heavily influenced by shape, she is the expert in color. So, learning color placement and arrangement is something I am always aware of when selecting flowers and plants. I always want things to flow naturally and each flower/plant to compliment whatever else is in the room.

After

In my mind, there's always overlap between my sense of style, what I'm listening to, and the overall vibe I want for the space I'm in. What 5 songs do you currently have on rotation?

1. Chanel - Frank Ocean

2. I Wanna Be Down - Brandy

3. Damn - Trina ft. Tory Lanes

4. Somebody - Junglepussy

5. Selfish - Future ft. Rihanna

These songs don't really "match" lol, but they each serve a different purpose. I rely heavily on music to put me in the space I want to be in at the moment.

How would you describe your sense of style?

I'd have to describe my personal style as "New York Practical." That just means a love a good block heel boot, black, and comfortability - practical fashion!

What do you wish you would have known before getting started with floral design?

There's not much I wish I would have known beforehand. I'm still at the beginning of this journey, so stay tuned!

Do you have any advice for people looking to break into this field professionally?

My advice is, don't limit yourself creatively. If you have the vision, go for it - you can always buy more flowers. If the arrangement doesn't look how you intended, rework it. buy another vase, find another use, keep going.